# Free/cheap ways to put text on pictures... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961 "2009-12-12T04:23:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/1 "2009-12-12T04:23:33Z")
What decent but free/inexpensive programs are available to place text onto images/photos? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/2 "2009-12-12T04:27:42Z")
[http://wigflip.com/roflbot/](http://wigflip.com/roflbot/) how about this? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/3 "2009-12-12T05:02:23Z")
Most image hosting sites have editors that include text. If it’s for print, just go with [GIMP](http://www.gimp.org/). ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/4 "2009-12-12T16:40:33Z")
What you want is [XNView](http://www.xnview.com/en/index.html). You will LOVE this program and it’s free. I’ve used it for years and there’s virtually nothing it can’t do and it’s free. It’s not a drawing program like MSPaint, it’s to manipulate, tag or fix images like jpgs, gifs, png and about any other format your photos can be in. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/5 "2009-12-12T16:45:06Z")
I use Thumbs Plus. It’s a slideshow viewer and includes easy editing. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/6 "2009-12-12T18:00:20Z")
MS Paint Irfanview ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/7 "2009-12-12T18:12:39Z")
[PicNik](http://www.picnik.com/) is a rudimentary free online image editor for folks who don’t need or want to install more fully-featured software. It’ll get you there. ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/8 "2009-12-12T19:29:45Z")
I been asking the same question without any good results. I think it’s called “Watermark”. But I shall take a look at these ones also. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/9 "2009-12-12T19:37:26Z")
Picnik’s great, plus it could by handy to familiarize yourself with it a bit. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/10 "2009-12-12T21:11:23Z")
I’ve been playing with [http://wigflip.com/roflbot/](http://wigflip.com/roflbot/) and it was pretty neat. Now I’m having some fun with XnView1 Thanks everyone! I’ll try to check the rest! ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/11 "2010-01-03T00:23:05Z")
After I posted this question other places I realized that [PICASA](http://picasa.google.com/) does it very well and have used it for years for all of my [PICTURES](http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j83/dandmb50/Photo165-1-2.jpg) but didn’t know I could put watermarks on them. It works great as you can see. And the best part, it’s FREE. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/12 "2010-01-03T00:29:49Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > What you want is [XNView](http://www.xnview.com/en/index.html). You will LOVE this program and it’s free. > > I’ve used it for years and there’s virtually nothing it can’t do and it’s free. It’s not a drawing program like MSPaint, it’s to manipulate, tag or fix images like jpgs, gifs, png and about any other format your photos can be in. Second. It’s an excellent program. It also has gamma correction which is great for working with black and white pictures. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/13 "2010-01-03T01:32:49Z")
ImageMagick is a free command-line tool that lets you put text on an image. > **[ImageMagick](https://imagemagick.org/index.php)** > > Create, Edit, Compose, or Convert Digital Images ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/14 "2010-01-03T06:47:37Z")
Suppose I want to paste Godzilla’s head on teh kitteh. What would work for a image/grapics dummy? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/15 "2010-01-03T16:25:00Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > MS Paint > Irfanview And on a Mac, Preview. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/16 "2010-01-03T16:41:13Z")
Picasa will let you add captions. [http://picasa.google.com/](http://picasa.google.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/17 "2010-01-05T09:36:49Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Picasa will let you add captions. > > [http://picasa.google.com/](http://picasa.google.com/) The other thing I just found out about is it also allows you to add [WATERMARKS](http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j83/dandmb50/DSC_0069-1.jpg) into the picture for protection. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/18 "2010-01-06T15:46:04Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > MS Paint > Irfanview A savvy user can do _a lot_ with MS Paint. I think it’s often underestimated… and it’s already installed on your computer! ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-cheap-ways-to-put-text-on-pictures/520961/19 "2010-09-13T11:35:04Z")
I have need to bump this after nine months _L_- So I’m working to make a banner for a site. Any thing else besides what’s already been mentioned which may suit me better? Thanks.